DOCSLIB.ORG

The 95 Theses Or] Disputation for Clarifying the Power of Indulgences 1

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
The 95 Theses Or] Disputation for Clarifying the Power of Indulgences 1 [The 95 Theses or] Disputation for Clarifying the Power of Indulgences 1 1517 TIMOTHY J. WENGERT Introduction The 95 Theses of Martin Luther may constitute one of the best known and yet least understood of his writings. Given the terseness of individual theses, the technical nature of many of the arguments, and the debates over the �history of 1. This title (Latin: Disputatio . the document, this is hardly surprising. For a twenty-first- pro declaratione virtutis indulgentiarum) century reader to understand them more fully, one must is taken from the 1517 reprint of Luther’s theses, which in all other consider certain theological, historical, and literary aspects printings bore no title at all. of the document. Theological Background Already St. Jerome (c. 347–420) had argued that after the shipwreck of sin, Christians had at their disposal two planks: first, baptism, which forgave the guilt and punish- ment for all sin; and then, for mortal sins committed after baptism, penance. Medieval theology defined a mortal sin as 2. Venial sins, which involved a grave act of commission or omission involving willful dis- minor infractions, ignorance of the 2 regard for God’s clear commands. Such a sin put a person in consequences, or lack of intention, a state of mortal sin (that is, dead to God and liable to pun- were forgiven anytime one prayed the ishment in hell) and included two consequences: guilt and Fifth Petition of the Lord’s Prayer. 13 14 THE ROOTS OF REFORM punishment (Latin: culpa et poena).a According to Peter Lom- bard (c. 1096–1164), the early Scholastic theologian from Paris whose Sentences (collected statements of the church fathers interspersed with his brief comments) became the basic theological textbook at universities for the next four hundred years, penance was one of the seven sacraments of 3. The others being baptism, the the church.3 The sacrament of penance consisted of three Lord’s Supper, confirmation, parts: contrition, confession, and satisfaction. While bap- ordination, marriage, and last rites tism contained stronger grace and remitted the guilt and (extreme unction). In The Babylonian punishment for all sin, it could only be performed once. As Captivity of the Church (1520; LW 36:3–126), Luther reduced the number a result, the sacrament of penance, to which one had contin- to three (baptism, Lord’s Supper, and, ual access because it was repeatable, became in the Middle as a daily use of baptism, confession Ages the crucial means of moving the sinner from a state and absolution [= penance]). of sin into a state of grace. While repeatable, the grace of this sacrament differed in that, although it fully removed the guilt of sin, it only reduced the penalty or punishment (Latin: poena) from an eternal punishment to a temporal one. 4. This contrasted with attrition, Contrition, or sorrow for sin out of love of God,4 was defined as a sorrow for sin out of fear the first part of the process. By the late Middle Ages, some of punishment. teachers, including Gabriel Biel (c. 1420–1495) a professor in Tübingen and author of several textbooks that Luther used while in Erfurt, insisted that with such sorrow for sin a person already moved from a state of sin to a state of grace. Most other theologians, such as Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274), argued that the transfer took place during the second part of the sacrament, when one went to confes- sion and, upon a thorough confession of all sins committed since the previous confession, heard the priest’s absolution. (By contrast, for Biel the person went to the priest for con- fession for the same reason cleansed lepers in the Old Tes- tament went to the Levitical priests—to guarantee that the contrition was genuine and, thus, that the leprosy of sin was gone.)b Whenever it took place, the move from a state of sin to a state of grace was brought about by an infusion into the soul of a disposition of love (Latin: habitus charitatis), that is, a Luther uses this distinction in theses 5 and 6, for example. b See below, Sermon on Penance, p. 197 n. 29. The 95 Theses 15 the grace that makes one acceptable to God (Latin: gratia gratum faciens). The guilt of sin was completely removed, and the punishment reduced from eternal to temporal. The third part, satisfaction, took place after private con- fession, when the forgiven Christian, now in a state of grace, did good works to satisfy the temporal punishment remain- ing for his or her sin. In addition to the traditional good works of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, other things like participating in a crusade for religious reasons, founding a monastery, contributing to the construction of churches, going on pilgrimages, and the like were also included. For each mortal sin, penitential books used by the priests speci- fied certain penalties. Because most persons committed so many mortal sins over their lifetimes as to accumulate more works of satisfaction than could be done while alive, and because the Bible insisted that only the pure in heart would “see God” (that is, participate in the heavenly, beatific vision), God mercifully established a place of purgation (Latin: pur- gatorium) where the remaining temporal punishments could be satisfied under the overarching assumption that, for the sake of divine righteousness, punishment had to be exacted for every sin. There was some debate over whether the soul in purgatory could then make progress or whether the suffer- ing there was experienced only passively. While the suffering in purgatory was far worse than human suffering on earth, there was only one exit, so to speak, namely, heaven (see the- ses 16–19). When the power of indulgences came to include purgatory, a few theologians also raised questions over the mode of papal authority over such souls, since the souls had passed from this life (see theses 25–26). Indulgences came into play precisely in this third part of the sacrament of penance, in that the church could be “indulgent” and reduce or eliminate the temporal penalty demanded for particular mortal sins far beyond the value of an individual work. Certain actions, including donations of money, insofar as they were connected to honoring Christ, Mary, or other saints, could result in obtaining such an indulgence. There were basically two kinds of indulgences, both under the ultimate authority of the pope as Peter’s 16 THE ROOTS OF REFORM successor (based on Matt. 16:19), who granted to local bishops author- ity over the first kind. This kind was a partial indulgence, wherein the church lessened by a fixed amount the temporal penalty for sin for anyone who performed a certain act of piety. The viewing of relics (such as those assembled by Luther’s prince, Elector Frederick III of Saxony [1463–1525] and displayed twice a year in the Castle Church in Wittenberg), mak- ing a pilgrimage to a saint’s shrine, being in attendance at the annual celebration of a church’s dedication, and many other activities had indul- gences attached to them. The other kind of indulgence was a full, or plenary indulgence, attached especially to the apostles and their holy sites, and offering the remission of all one’s temporal punishment for all sins committed up until the time the indulgence was received. It was Portrait by Raphael (1483–1520) of Pope Leo X and his cousins, under the exclusive aegis of the pope. cardinals Giulio de’ Medici and Luigi de’ Rossi. Pope Urban II (c. 1042–1099) offered the first such indulgence in 1095 for those who participated in the Cru- sades for religious reasons (namely, to wrest the holy sites in Jerusalem from the control of the “infidel”). In 1300 Pope Boniface VIII (c. 1235–1303) offered a “Jubilee Indulgence” for those who made a pilgrimage to the shrines of the apos- tles in Rome. Although these were originally to be offered every century, this indulgence soon became available every twenty-five years. In time, other such plenary indulgences came to be offered not just for religious acts but also for the financial support of such acts. In 1476 Pope Sixtus IV (1414–1484) first allowed indulgences to be applied to souls in purgatory. The 95 Theses 17 Indeed, the practice often outran the theological argu- ments, so that the source of such churchly indulgence— given the widespread belief that for the sake of divine justice satisfaction for every sin must be made—finally came to rest in a “treasury of merits” accumulated by Christ and saints. The pope, by virtue of having been given the keys to heaven by Christ (Matt. 16:19), could open this “treasury” to the faithful purchaser of an indulgence. Pope Clement VI (1291– 1352) formally attached this treasury to indulgences.c The History of the 95 Theses By the late Middle Ages, indulgences had become a central part of piety for many people in the Western church. It was also a useful means of financial support for a cash-strapped papacy, so that indulgence preaching was labeled a sacrum Jacob Fugger, head of the negotium (holy business). When Leo X (1475–1521) pro- Augsburg banking family. claimed a plenary “Peter’s Indulgence” in 1515, the stated reason was to raise money to rebuild the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul in Rome—the Renaissance result of which may still be seen today. It is true that half of the money raised was to go to the Augsburg banking family, the Fuggers, in order to pay a debt owed by the archbishop of Mainz, Albrecht von Brandenburg (1490–1545), who had used the loan to pay Rome for the right to hold multiple sees (including arch- bishop of Magdeburg and administrator of the diocese of Halberstadt) upon his accession to the see in Mainz.5 But 5.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Latomus and Luther. the Debate: Is Every Good Deed a Sin?
    Anna Vind Latomus and Luther The Debate: R5AS 26 Is every Good Deed a Sin? Academic Studies 26 Latomus and Luther Vind Anna Vind: Latomus and Luther © 2019, Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht GmbH & Co. KG, Göttingen ISBN Print: 9783525552513 — ISBN E-Book: 9783647552514 Anna Vind: Latomus and Luther Refo500 Academic Studies Edited by Herman J. Selderhuis In co-operation with Christopher B. Brown(Boston), Günter Frank (Bretten), Bruce Gordon(NewHaven), Barbara Mahlmann-Bauer (Bern), Tarald Rasmussen (Oslo), Violet Soen (Leuven), Zsombor Tóth (Budapest), Günther Wassilowsky (Frankfurt), SiegridWestphal (Osnabrück). Volume 26 © 2019, Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht GmbH & Co. KG, Göttingen ISBN Print: 9783525552513 — ISBN E-Book: 9783647552514 Anna Vind: Latomus and Luther Anna Vind Latomusand Luther The Debate: Is everyGoodDeed aSin? Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht © 2019, Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht GmbH & Co. KG, Göttingen ISBN Print: 9783525552513 — ISBN E-Book: 9783647552514 Anna Vind: Latomus and Luther Bibliographic information published by the Deutsche Nationalbibliothek: The Deutsche Nationalbibliothek lists this publication in the Deutsche Nationalbibliografie; detailed bibliographic data available online: https://dnb.de. 2019, Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht GmbH & Co. KG, Theaterstraûe 13, D-37073 Gçttingen All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without prior written permission from the publisher. Typesetting: 3w+p, Rimpar Printed and bound: Hubert & Co. BuchPartner, Gçttingen Printed in the EU Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht Verlage www.vandenhoeck-ruprecht-verlage.com j ISSN 2197-0165 ISBN 978-3-647-55251-4 © 2019, Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht GmbH & Co. KG, Göttingen ISBN Print: 9783525552513 — ISBN E-Book: 9783647552514 Anna Vind: Latomus and Luther Contents 1.
    [Show full text]
  • Mnurnrbtu Mqrnlngiral :Snut111y Continuing LEHRE UND WEHRE MAGAZIN FUER EV.-LUTH
    mnurnrbtu mqrnlngiral :Snut111y Continuing LEHRE UND WEHRE MAGAZIN FUER EV.-LUTH. HOMILETIK THEOLOGICAL QUARTERLY-THEOLOGICAL MONTHLY Vol. VI February, 1935 No.2 CONTENTS Page Foreword. (Concluded.) Thea. Laetsch. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 81 Zur :Bedeutung der Taufe Jesu. J. T. Mueller. • • • • • • • • • • • • 93 A Comparison of the King James and the Douay Version. Geo. A. W. Vogel •••••••••• 102 "Die Schrift kann nicht gebrochen werden." P. E. Kretzmann. • • • • • • • • •• 114 Der Schriftgrund fuer die Lehre von der satisfactio vicma. P. E. Kretzmann • • • • • • • • •• 121 Dispositionen ueber die altkirchliche Evangelienreihe.... 125 Miscellanea. .. 133 T.l:teological Observer. - Kirchlich.Zeitgeschichtliches. .. 141 :Book Review. - Literatur. .. 153 Etn Predlger MUSS Dieht anetn 1DridM>, Es 1st bin Ding, daa die Leute mehr alao da&s er die Schafe unterweise, wie bel der Klrche bebaelt denn die lUte sle rechte ChrIaten soDen satn, BOndeI'D Predigt. - ApologU, .Arl. !~. aueh daneben den Woelfen fDelinm, da.sa ale die Schate nleht uagreilen and mit If the trumpet give an unceriatn BOund, falseher Lehre vertnehren and Irrtum e!n. who shall preps re himael1 to the battle f fuehren. - Luther. J Cor. J.6, 8. Published for the Ev. Luth. Synod of Missouri, Ohio, and Other States CONCORDIA PUBLISHING EOUSE, St. Louis, Mo. 102 A Comparison of the King James and the Douay Version. 10. mldoen roir bei Mef er in ber <0djrif± fellif± an bie ~anb gegelienen €:rWintng ber mebeuiung ber ;;raufe ~{tfu. m5ir armen @iunber fonnen beill iiitigen
    [Show full text]
  • Martin Luther Extended Timeline Session 1
    TIMELINES: MARTIN LUTHER & CHRISTIAN HISTORY A. LUTHER the MAN (1483 – 1546) 1502: Receives B.A. at University of Erfurt 1505: Earns M.A. at Erfurt; begins to study law 1505 Luther “struck by lightning” and vows to become a monk 1505 Luther enters the Order of Augustinian Hermits 1507: Luther is ordained and celebrates his first Mass; he panics during the ceremony 1510: Luther visits Rome as representative of Augustinians 1511: Luther transfers to Wittenberg to teach at the new university. 1512: Luther earns his doctorate of theology 1513: Luther begins lecturing on The Psalms 1515: Luther lectures on Paul’s Epistles to the Romans 1517: October 31, he posts his “95 Theses (points to debate)” concerning indulgences on Wittenberg Church door. 1518: At meeting in Augsburg, Luther defends his theology & refuses to recant 1518: Elector Frederick the Wise of Saxony places Luther under his protection. 1519: In debates with Professor John Eck at Leipzig, Luther denies supreme authority of popes and councils 1520: Papal bull (Exsurge Domine) gives Luther 60 days to recant or be excommunicated 1520: Luther burns the papal bull and writes 3 seminal documents: “To the Christian Nobility,” “On the Babylonian Captivity of the Church,” & “The Freedom of a Christian” 1521: Luther is excommunicated by the papal bull Decet Romanum Pontificem 1521: He refuses to recant his writings at the Diet of Worms 1521: New HRE Charles V condemns Luther as heretic and outlaw Luther is “kidnapped” and hidden in Wartburg Castle Luther begins translating the New Testament
    [Show full text]
  • A Man Named Martin Part 1: the Man Session Three
    A Man Named Martin Part 1: The Man Session Three Pope Leo X Pope Leo X: This article gives a biography of Pope Leo X, all that he was involved in, and why he needed so much money. The Medici Family: This article traces the history and powerful influence of the Medici family, of which Pope Leo X was a member. St. Peter's Basilica: This article gives the history of the basilica, from Peter’s martyrdom to its construction in Luther’s time. The Roman Catholic Church in the Late Middle Ages: This article describes the structure of the Roman Catholic Church, the various offices, and monastic movements. Indulgences Roman Teachings about Indulgences: DELTO (Distance Education Leading to Ordination) video with Dr. Paul Robinson (Church History 2, Volume 3). When did Indulgences Begin? DELTO (Distance Education Leading to Ordination) video with Dr. Paul Robinson (Church History 2, Volume 4). John Tetzel: This brief biography describes the Dominican monk who stirred Luther’s response to indulgences. How did Luther Come to Preach Against Indulgences?: DELTO (Distance Education Leading to Ordination) video with Dr. Paul Robinson (Church History 2, Volume 8). Image of an Indulgence: This is a link to an image of an indulgence. It is written in German, but you’ll recognize the signature of Johannes Tetzel. Frederick the Wise Heroes and Saints of the Reformation: Frederick the Wise (1463-1525): This article introduces us to Frederick the Wise. 1 Religious Relics Frederick the Wise boasted a collection of thousands of relics. Here are some links that provide more information about them: Top 10 Religious Relics: Time magazine looks at the lore and whereabouts of religious relics from Christianity, Buddhism and Islam.
    [Show full text]
  • The Doctrine of Repentance in Church History a Series on Repentance: Part 1 (R
    The Doctrine of Repentance in Church History A Series on Repentance: Part 1 (R. Wilkin) Few issues are of more vital interest to those who believe in heaven and hell than the question of what one must do to gain entrance into heaven. Answers to this question nearly always include a reference to repentance. Throughout church history nearly every theologian has taught that repentance is essential for salvation from hell. (1) However, several disparate understandings of repentance have been advocated. This article will delineate those understandings. (2) I. The Pre-Reformation View From the apostolic fathers until the Reformers, essentially one view of salvific repentance prevailed. Unhappily this view knew little or nothing of grace. A system of works salvation emerged very early in the Church. Amazingly, the first generation after the Apostles distorted the good news which the Apostles had entrusted to their care. (3) On the theology of the apostolic fathers Torrance notes: "Salvation is wrought, they thought, certainly by divine pardon but on the ground of repentance [self-amendment before God], (4) not apparently on the ground of the death of Christ alone. There is no doubt about the fact that the early Church felt it was willing to go all the way to martyrdom, but it felt that it was in that way the Christian made saving appropriation of the Cross, rather than by faith. It was not seen that the whole of salvation is centred in the person and the death of Christ. Failure to apprehend the meaning of the Cross and to make it a saving article of faith is surely the clearest indication that a genuine doctrine of grace is absent." (5) Three main aspects of the pre-Reformation view of salvific repentance are apparent.
    [Show full text]
  • Johann Tetzel in Order to Pay for Expanding His Authority to the Electorate of Mainz
    THE IMAGE OF A FRACTURED CHURCH AT 500 YEARS CURATED BY DR. ARMIN SIEDLECKI FEB 24 - JULY 7, 2017 THE IMAGE OF A FRACTURED CHURCH AT 500 YEARS Five hundred years ago, on October 31, 1517, Martin Luther published his Ninety-Five Theses, a series of statements and proposals about the power of indulgences and the nature of repentance, forgiveness and salvation. Originally intended for academic debate, the document quickly gained popularity, garnering praise and condemnation alike, and is generally seen as the beginning of the Protestant Reformation. This exhibit presents the context of Martin Luther’s Theses, the role of indulgences in sixteenth century religious life and the use of disputations in theological education. Shown also are the early responses to Luther’s theses by both his supporters and his opponents, the impact of Luther’s Reformation, including the iconic legacy of Luther’s actions as well as current attempts by Catholics and Protestants to find common ground. Case 1: Indulgences In Catholic teaching, indulgences do not effect the forgiveness of sins but rather serve to reduce the punishment for sins that have already been forgiven. The sale of indulgences was initially intended to defray the cost of building the Basilica of St. Peter in Rome and was understood as a work of charity, because it provided monetary support for the church. Problems arose when Albert of Brandenburg – a cardinal and archbishop of Magdeburg – began selling indulgences aggressively with the help of Johann Tetzel in order to pay for expanding his authority to the Electorate of Mainz. 2 Albert of Brandenburg, Archbishop of Mainz Unused Indulgence (Leipzig: Melchior Lotter, 1515?) 1 sheet ; 30.2 x 21 cm.
    [Show full text]
  • Recovering the Historical Practice of Delayed Baptism and Pre-Baptismal Instruction for the Purpose of Restoring
    LIBERTY UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF DIVINITY Recovering the Historical Practice of Delayed Baptism and Pre-Baptismal Instruction for the Purpose of Restoring the Standard of a Regenerate Church Membership in Southern Baptist Churches A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of Liberty University School of Divinity in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy by Alan C. McCullough Lynchburg, Virginia March 6, 2020 Copyright © 2020 Alan C. McCullough All Rights Reserved ii Approval Sheet Recovering the Historical Practice of Delayed Baptism and Pre-Baptismal Instruction for the Purpose of Restoring the Standard of a Regenerate Church Membership in Southern Baptist Churches Alan C. McCullough Read and Approved by: Chairperson: EDWARD L. SMITHER Dr. Edward L. Smither Reader: STEVEN A. MCKINION Dr. Steven A. McKinion Reader: DAVID A. WHEELER Dr. David A. Wheeler Approval: March 6, 2020 iii Acknowledgements Though the name on a dissertation and diploma represents the author’s determination and hard work, there a many people who have stood beside and behind this effort. First, I want to acknowledge my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who called me by His grace into salvation through faith. He called me into ministry to the church and then further into pursuing my Ph.D. I pray the completion of this degree and disseration honors Him. He is worthy. Secondly, I could not have accomplished this calling without the sacrifices of my precious wife, Roben, who gave up countless time and activities to support my research over the years. Thank you for your love, believing in me and encouragement to fulfill God’s call on my life academeically.
    [Show full text]
  • 1 the Summa Theologiae and the Reformed Traditions Christoph Schwöbel 1. Luther and Thomas Aquinas
    The Summa Theologiae and the Reformed Traditions Christoph Schwöbel 1. Luther and Thomas Aquinas: A Conflict over Authority? On 10 December 1520 at the Elster Gate of Wittenberg, Martin Luther burned his copy of the papal bull Exsurge domine, issued by pope Leo X on 15 June of that year, demanding of Luther to retract 41 errors from his writings. The time for Luther to react obediently within 60 days had expired on that date. The book burning was a response to the burning of Luther’s works which his adversary Johannes Eck had staged in a number of cities. Johann Agricola, Luther’s student and president of the Paedagogium of the University, who had organized the event at the Elster Gate, also got hold of a copy of the books of canon law which was similarly committed to the flames. Following contemporary testimonies it is probable that Agricola had also tried to collect copies of works of scholastic theology for the burning, most notably the Summa Theologiae. However, the search proved unsuccessful and the Summa was not burned alongside the papal bull since the Wittenberg theologians – Martin Luther arguably among them – did not want to relinquish their copies.1 The event seems paradigmatic of the attitude of the early Protestant Reformers to the Summa and its author. In Luther’s writings we find relatively frequent references to Thomas Aquinas, although not exact quotations.2 With regard to the person of Thomas Luther could gleefully report on the girth of Thomas Aquinas, including the much-repeated story that he could eat a whole goose in one go and that a hole had to be cut into his table to allow him to sit at the table at all.3 At the same time Luther could also relate several times and in different contexts in his table talks how Thomas at the time of his death experienced such grave spiritual temptations that he could not hold out against the devil until he confounded him by embracing his Bible, saying: “I believe what is written in this book.”4 At least on some occasions Luther 1 Cf.
    [Show full text]
  • VU Research Portal
    VU Research Portal Philips Galle (1537-1612): engraver and print publisher in Haarlem and Antwerp Sellink, M.S. 1997 document version Publisher's PDF, also known as Version of record Link to publication in VU Research Portal citation for published version (APA) Sellink, M. S. (1997). Philips Galle (1537-1612): engraver and print publisher in Haarlem and Antwerp. General rights Copyright and moral rights for the publications made accessible in the public portal are retained by the authors and/or other copyright owners and it is a condition of accessing publications that users recognise and abide by the legal requirements associated with these rights. • Users may download and print one copy of any publication from the public portal for the purpose of private study or research. • You may not further distribute the material or use it for any profit-making activity or commercial gain • You may freely distribute the URL identifying the publication in the public portal ? Take down policy If you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us providing details, and we will remove access to the work immediately and investigate your claim. E-mail address: [email protected] Download date: 08. Oct. 2021 MANFRED SELLINK PHILIPS GALLE (1537-1612) ENGRAVER AND PRINT PUBLISHER IN HAARLEM AND ANTWERP li NOTES/APPENDICES Notes Introduction 1. &igg5 1971, For further references on our knowledge of Netherlandish printmaking m general and Philips Galle in particular, see chapter 1, notes 32-33 and chapter 4, note 1. 2. Van den Bemden 1863. My research of a print acquired by the Rijksprentenkabinet in 1985 resulted in ail article on the collaboration between the Galle family and Johannes Stradanus on an abortive attempt to pro• duce a series of engraved illustrations for Dante's Divina Commedia (Seliink 1987) 3.
    [Show full text]
  • INFORMATION to USERS This Manuscript Has Been Reproduced
    INFORMATION TO USERS This manuscript has been reproduced from the microfilm master. UMI film s the text directly from the original or copy submitted. Thus, some thesis and dissertation copies are in typewriter face, while others may be from any type of computer printer. The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. Broken or indistinct print, colored or poor quality illustrations and photographs, print bleedthrough* substandard margins, and improper alignment can adversely afreet reproductioiL In the unlikely event that the author did not send UMI a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these wül be noted. Also, if unauthorized copyright material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. Oversize materials (e.g., maps, drawings, charts) are reproduced by sectioning the original, beginning at the upper left-hand comer and continuing from left to right in equal sections with small overlaps. Each original is also photographed in one exposure and is included in reduced form at the back of the book. Photographs included in the original manuscript have been reproduced xerographically in this copy. Higher quality 6" x 9" black and white photographic prints are available for any photographs or illustrations appearing in this copy for an additional charge. Contact UMI directly to order. UMI University Microfilms International A Bell & Howell Information Company 300 North Zeeb Road. Ann Arbor. Ml 48106-1346 USA 313/761-4700 800/521-0600 Order Nnsaber 9816176 ‘‘Ordo et lîbertas”: Church discipline and the makers of church order in sixteenth century North Germany Jaynes, JefiErey Philip, Ph.D.
    [Show full text]
  • Martin Luther the Ninety-Five Theses Or Disputation on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences 1517
    Primary Sources Reformation History Martin Luther The Ninety-Five Theses Or Disputation On The Power And Efficacy Of Indulgences 1517 Translated by C. M. Jacobs Revised by Harold J. Grimm [From: Martin Luther, Luther’s Works, American Edition. Helmut T. Lehmann, General Editor (Philadephia: Fortress Press, 1957), Volume 31: 17-34] INTRODUCTION From Luther’s day to the present, October 31, 1517 has been considered the birthday of the Reformation. At noon on this Eve of All Saints’ Day, Luther nailed on the Castle Church door, which served as a bulletin board for faculty and students of the University of Wittenberg, his Ninety-five Theses, as his Disputation on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences has commonly been called. That he intended these theses to serve as a basis for a scholarly discussion with his colleagues at the University of Wittenberg and other learned men can be gathered not only from his own words and those of his colleagues, but also from the fact that they were written in Latin. His act may have been prompted by the circumstance that people were gathering in Wittenberg to adore the remarkable collection of religious relics of Frederick the Wise on All Saints’ Day and to receive indulgences for their act of piety. In the Ninety-five Theses Luther applied his evangelical theology to indulgences. He hoped thereby to find an answer to a practical problem which had disturbed him and other sincere Christians for a long time. As a pastor he had noted the bad effects of indulgences upon the members of his own congregation, many of whom were going to nearby Jüterbog and Zerbst in Brandenburg to buy indulgence slips from Johann Tetzel.
    [Show full text]
  • The Lutheran Church – the Reformation
    A Study of Denominations 1 Corinthians 14:33 (KJV 1900) - 33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints. The Lutheran Church – The Reformation • The reformation began almost simultaneously on three different fronts. (Germany, England & Switzerland) • The Lutheran Church was the first of the many Protestant churches formed out of the protest against Catholicism during the Reformation Movement. Protestant Reformer – Martin Luther • 1517: Martin Luther’s Ninety-Five Theses (challenges to Catholic teaching) usually marks the beginning of the Protestant Reformation. • Those involved in the reformation did not intend to start a new church, but… – Reformation of the Catholic church • Born – Nov 10th, 1483 (1546) • Eisleben, Saxony (Germany) • Considered the “father of the reformation” • Did not want his name used to describe his teaching or followers. The Lutheran Church – The Reformation • Reformation – Does not suggest overthrow but changing an existing order enough to correct its faults. • “Protestant” – (originally) any of the German princes who protested against the decision of the Diet of Speyer in 1529, which had denounced the Reformation. • Protestant Reformation – Movement originally calling for reform of the doctrines, preaching, and rites of the Catholic Church, ignited by the work of Martin Luther, and which resulted in the secession of many churches from the Catholic Church. Protestant Reformer – Martin Luther • Luther’s ExperienCes – 1501 – Entered University of Erfurt preparing to practice law – 1505 – Received his Masters degree & also decides to change direction and enter the Augustinian monastery at Erfurt • He later attributed his decision to an event: on 2 July 1505, he was on horseback during a thunderstorm and a lightning bolt struck near him as he was returning to university after a trip home.
    [Show full text]